MACHIAS — For the month of June, the StoryWalk® at Porter Memorial Library in Machias will feature the award-winning children’s book “Miss Rumphius” by Barbara Cooney. Readers of all ages delight in the tale of Alice Rumphius, a woman who realized her childhood dreams of traveling the world, residing in a seaside house, and making the world more beautiful. The numerous lupines blooming along the Maine coastline stand as a testament to the real Miss Rumphius, Hilda Hamlin, known as the Lupine Lady, who sowed lupine seeds wherever she went, as well as Cooney’s own experiences traveling the world.
StoryWalk® is a literacy-boosting project that places an illustrated children’s book, taken apart and displayed page by page, along an easily accessible community walking route. Healthy Acadia, Maine SNAP-Ed and Porter Memorial Library teamed up to launch a StoryWalk® on the library grounds in downtown Machias in October 2023.
The StoryWalk® at Porter Memorial Library features a different book each month, carefully selected to be woven with themes tied to the season. As visitors stroll along the outdoor path, they can read the story. At the end of their StoryWalk® at Porter Memorial Library, visitors will find a healthy recipe inspired by that month’s book selection that they can make at home.
The project was initiated by Healthy Acadia Maine SNAP-Ed Nutrition Educator Shannon Cherry in partnership with Porter Memorial Library. In addition to offering healthy cooking and nutrition classes in schools and community settings, Maine SNAP-Ed Nutrition Educators also support local food projects throughout the year. These PSE (Policy, Systems, and Environmental) Change Projects help to increase community access to healthy, fresh food.
Stop by the Porter Memorial Library throughout the year and enjoy the StoryWalk®. The June book selection is sponsored by West Branch Farms.
To learn how you can support the StoryWalk® at Porter Memorial Library, please contact Cherry at [email protected] or 207-255-3741.
The StoryWalk® Project was created by Anne Ferguson of Montpelier, Vermont and developed in collaboration with the Kellogg-Hubbard Library. Storywalk® is a registered service mark owned by Ferguson.
Healthy Acadia is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization that engages in a broad range of initiatives to build healthier communities and make it easier for people to lead healthy lives across Washington and Hancock counties, Maine. Learn more at www.healthyacadia.org.
This institution is an equal opportunity provider. Maine SNAP-Ed is funded by the USDA’s Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program, or SNAP, which is administered by the Office for Family Independence at the Maine Department of Health and Human Services and implemented statewide by the University of New England through contracts with local community organizations. Maine SNAP-Ed educates families experiencing low income on low-cost healthy eating and active lifestyles. Contact [email protected] or 207-221-4560 for more information.
